[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter XVII

Thu Nov 19 06:15:14 UTC 2015

>> [GM]
>> Alex's shot isn't a particular good one, but the Malig leader is
>> preoccupied with a bunch of poorly-armed but fairly angry human
>> slaves, and doesn't see her fire. The shot hits him in the main
>> body [Damage: 30MD]. The Malig, having no mega-damage protection,
>> is blown into pieces.
>>
>> Immediately the human slaves start cheering, and in short order
>> they have the remaining Maligs on the run, the attempted Malig
>> rally broken.
>>
>> A number of humans immediately rally around Alex. "Help us!"
>> one of them cries. Another shouts "Lead us, Great Lady! Lead us
>> and our kin out of this place!"
>>
>> Soon, Alex has a good forty men, women and even a few children
>> surrounding her, all pleading with her to help them.
>> [/GM]

> [Alex]
> Quickly over the radio, "How about breaking the chain?"
>
> Turning back towards those who want them to lead them, "I am not
> an officer, just a former corporal. Provided that the others are will, I
> will see what we can do to help you however."
>
> At the same time, her rifle is still up and she scans for movement.
> Does not trust that everything is settled.
> [/Alex]

> Alex OOC: I like to try to come up with a first impression response in
> combat because that is more real but I had some issues (as a player)
> digesting everything.

OOC: Sorry. Things got a bit muddled up. I don't think I made it clear
enough Alex didn't go up the pyramid.

[GM]
"Take us with you then!" others cry. "You can't leave us here. Even if
you kill these Maligs, the others in the city will kill us."

Even as they speak, suddenly a manhole cover pops open. With Alex's
gun trained on it, a young boy and at least two dozen other people
come streaming out.

Someone shouts "This is the woman who will save us!" to which the
people coming out of the sewer cheer. To Alex's amazement a young girl
with hair almost Alex's color runs up to her, despite her weapons and
armor, and hugs her leg.

Alex is now staring at a good 60 to 65 people all gathering around
her, all pleading to be taken away.
[/GM]

[...]

> [Vesper]
> Vesper seems relieved that Alex seems to be ok.
>
> Seeing the brown things rush to the rift he risks a shot at it with Alex
> pump pistol. [Strike: 12, Damage: 18MD]
> [/Vesper]

[GM]
Surprisingly, or perhaps not all that surprisingly, the brown veined
thing isn't destroyed, and while it shows some scoring, and perhaps a
faint sizzling, it continues upward, picking up the pace. It takes a
second shot [Strike: 19, Damage: 15MD] before the thing is blown into
a blackened smudge on the side of the pyramid.
[/GM]

> [Vesper]
> He gets a curious look when he sees the woman approaching the rift
> and tentacle.
>
> "They're enchanted ! I don't even think pain will snap them out of it.
> Try using the chain to pull as many as you can to the ship !"
> Vesper keeps up the cover fire but takes careful aimed shots only
> when he is sure he wont harm the prisoners or his team mates does
> he fire.
>
> He also mentally recalls his familiars.
> [/Vesper]

[GM]
Vesper's two familiars rush to his side.
[/GM]

> [Oz]
> "Psychic attack! Watch the women! Sergeant, somebody- grab her!
> Concentrate fire on that tentacle!" Taking his own advice, Oz drops
> his hunting rifle and pulls out his shotgun and starts pumping explosive
> shells at the tentacle, trying to sever the end from the rest of the
> creature. [Strikes: 18 and 3, Damage: 12MD]
>
> "Anybody who want out of here needs to get up now! We're leaving in
> 30 seconds! Captain, mark the time- 30 seconds and withdraw!"
> [/Oz]

[GM]
Oz's shots heavily damage the tentacle, and a good ten foot piece
falls to the ground far below. The rest of the crew, those not
wresting female crewmembers to the ground, follow suit. The injured
tentacle is torn to pieces, with a coup de grace by Jacek's weapon
that blasts a large chunk almost back to the rift off.

There's an inhuman scream that echoes through the city, and other
tentacles whip out, and start smashing the top of the pyramid,
crushing a number of the captive women.
[/GM]

> OOC: Using his Sawed-Off with explosive shells, 3d6 md to 20'. He's
> aiming higher up the tentacle away from the deck, trying to blow it up
> and separate it from the rest of the tentacle.
>
> Oz does not want to fight this thing. He is not willing to risk the ship
> and will leave anybody who is not on board when his time limit is up.
> He's annoyed with the whole Louissa situation in the first place- they
> keep having to chase after and rescue her, and he didn't ever really
> even travel with her. His priorities are the PCs first, his soldiers second,
> then everybody else last.
>
> And if a giant tentacle monster breaks into this world from some other
> dimension, that's one more thing to fight the splugorth when they get
> here.

> [Ted]
> "Apparently they have some power over women," the lizard man
> theorizes aloud while closing the distance between him and Louissa.
> [/Ted]

[GM]
As Ted is speaking to Vesper and Alter-Ted, the broadcast comes in
from Oz ordering everyone to prepare to disembark within 30 seconds.
Ted reaches Louissa who is free but still walking towards the rift
when gunfire from the ship severs a large portion of the tentacle, and
it comes crashing nearby with a loud "flop". The horrific scream from
within the rift is swiftly met with other tentacles reaching out of
the rift and smashing into the top of the pyramid, crushing a number
of the bedazzled women, and one striking the gruond not five feet from
Ted and knocking him off his feet.

And then the spell seems to be broken. Several of the women's eyes
widen as they see the horror that awaits. A number turn on the
remaining Maliks, and Louissa finally seems to regain some
consciousness. She looks to Ted, and then to Alter-Ted. "Two... two of
you?" she manages to say. "Where am I?"

Alter-Ted bows, "Your highness, there is no time." He turns to Ted,
and then to Vesper as Vesper reaches the top of the pyramid. "Your
Lord Osmar,  or whatever his rank, has made it clear you have to
depart. Get your Louissa out of here. What are we going to do with
these women?"

>From Oz's vantage point he sees the women on top of the pyramid freed
of the spell, some attacking Maligs, others screaming in horror. When
he looks at the base of the pyramid hundreds of feet below, he sees at
least forty or fifty, maybe sixty people, including children rushing
towards a tiny figure he recognizes as Alex.

One of the crew comes up to Oz. "Sir, it would appear we have a brief
window to pick up your companions. But we have a problem down on the
ground. A large mob, friendlies I think, but still a large one around
Lady Alex."

Then over the comms one of the crew reports, "Sir, we're seeing a
dozen vehicles rolling in, arriving at Lady Alex's position within two
minutes. They're heavily armed, and look to be these Maligs, sir."
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com

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